3 comments about Focus on Leadership: Servant-Leadership for the 21st Century.

1. It's difficult to keep up with the new business management theories that come up, so I tend to shy away from most of them. Of course, if Peter Drucker writes something I'm quick to pounce on it. That being said, it was the status of the contributors themselves that lured me in to this great overview and analysis of servant-leadership. Stephen R. Covey and Ken Blanchard ("One-Minute Manager", "Who Moved My Cheese") offer great insight into a concept that actually has been around since the 1970's! Employee welfare is not to be undermined! If Stephen Covey already knows this, shouldn't we all get the clue? Recommended!



2. I. Bibliographical Entry
   
   Marquardt, M.J. and Berger, N.O. Global Leaders for the 21st Century. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2000.
   
   
   II. Biographical Sketch of Author
   Dr. Michael Marquardt holds an Ed.D. from The George Washington University and is a well-known author on global leadership and organizational change. A leadership consultant, he has done consulting work for many of the companies and mentioned in this work, including Singapore Airlines, Cisco Systems, and Nokia. Nancy Berger is a former assistant professor of human resources development at George Washington University and is the coordinator of an adult education and human resources development program at Virginia Commonwealth University. This student found little information about Berger's education or scholarly work.
   
   III. Summary of Contents
   Global Leaders for the 21st Century profiles twelve leaders in diverse leadership positions around the world. Each leader is profiled through the framework of 8 "critical competencies" outlined in the text: 1) a global mindset, 2) learning and teaching skills, 3) a servant-steward relationship to one's organization, 4) systems thinking, 5) spirituality and a concern for ethics, 6) a willingness to embrace new technologies, 7) innovation and risk-taking, and 8) vision-building.
   Each chapter deals with one of the twelve leaders, and each offers praise of the leaders' ability to lead in the current dynamic environment and posits them as potential great leaders of the 21st century. The structure is somewhat fluid given the 12x8 framework presented in chapter one. This fluidity allows the writers to focus on critical areas of each leaders' achievements and leadership skill without overdoing a "cookie-cutter" approach.
   
   IV. Critical Evaluation
   This work provides insight into some very prominent leaders in today's global environment. From political leaders to nonprofit leaders to corporate leaders, assessment using the 8-item framework allows the reader to analyze each leader in a uniform manner. These eight critical competencies are, however, difficult to quantitatively measure, which opens the work to criticism. For example, the fourth critical competency, a global mindset, may be measured differently for Kofi Annan than for Nobuyuki Idei based on their individual beliefs and backgrounds. Aside from measurement issues, the critical competencies have identification issues. No research is offered as to why or how the competencies are selected.
   
   Review of Marquardt's biography reveals potential bias in that he has been paid for consulting work by many of the companies and countries whose leaders are identified in this work. The extensive use of charts and graphs on some of these companies and countries seems indicative of this consulting relationship. On the contrary, review of Berger's biography reveals very little. Aside from identification of her current position at Virginia Commonwealth University, this student was unable to find any other books or scholarly articles of Berger.
   
   Finally, many of the leaders and organizations profiled in this work have experienced controversy and conflict since the work's publication in 2000. While it is true that no prominent leader avoids conflict and controversy altogether, the number of those affected by controversy and the magnitude of the controversy is striking: Lord John Browne of BP Amoco's handling of a refinery explosion in Texas in 2005, along with the Prudhoe Bay pipeline shutdown of 2006; Kofi Annan's handling of the Ruud Lubber sexual harassment case in 2004, and administration of the UN food for oil program in 2004; and John Chambers' settlement of a major class action lawsuit with Cisco stockholders in 2001 are a few examples of what many would deem leadership failures. Those in the fields of leadership, management, and policy development could benefit from this work.



3. Robert Greenleaf defined servant-leadership. Focus on Leadership, published by the Grealeaf Center, builds on the concepts Greenleaf established. The book is divided into four sections and each section explores a different concept of servant-leadership: individual, workplace, community and world. Servant-leadership is not just serving those one leads, it arises from a heart of service and choice to lead, and is different from management. The book provides an excellent foundation for servant-leadership, and one cannot help evaluating his or her own leadership style while reading.

5 comments about 1001 Ways to Energize Employees.

1. If you are looking to truly turn around your company or department, this is not the book for you. When does this book come in handy? If you are seeking for quick ideas to energize your team, and are short on inspiration: that is where it's a very comprehensive source. But be realistic: true energizing and change is a process that can't be bought with treats or gifts, but rather built through trust and open communication, among other things. If you want to really energize your team, then be ready for a longterm commitment from your part, that will go beyond just getting them perks or giving them awards.



2. I'm an HR person myself, and have found this (and the 1001 ways to reward) to be an essential part of my library. Many people want to look through it, borrow it... some have kept it, so this is probably my fifth version of the book that I've bought! Try to put your name all over the book so they don't forget it's yours.



3. This book is helpful to have on the bookshelf for anyone looking for new ideas. I did not find that it really treated its subject in any depth.



4. Light Reading. This book is purely focused upon the many ways to build initiative, increase autonomy, raise morale and to design a work environment that fosters creativity, commitment and thusly ENERGY. It is not so much revealing a number of ways to do this, but invites a paradigm shift from which you will naturally do the 1001 things. Fun.
   
   Five Stars



5. It's probably unfortunate that I already owned "100 Ways to Motivate Others" before buying this book. I was looking for ways to help appreciate and reward my volunteers with the low budget I had available. I purchased "1001 Ways to Energize Employees" for the same reasons - looking for ways to help my volunteers feel happy and appreciated in their chosen tasks. Unfortunately, the books seem to overlap quite a bit, and in both cases seem to require quite a large cash outlay.
   
   The book is in essence a collection of random ideas from established companies. One company spent $60,000 building a local playground instead of going on a golf outing. That's WAY outside my budget!! They talk about REI losing $1 million by choosing to situate its building closer to where employees live vs where it was good for shipping reasons. Again, way outside my budget. A company in Illinois saved $15 million by cutting out things like its employee picnic. That's nice (I think?) but again, not helpful at all.
   
   There are a few reasonable suggestions in here. Provide employee training. Provide a way to solicit employee suggestions. Provide frequent updates on company health. These are all very common sense and are offered in the intro area of just about every management book I've seen. But in many cases, the items shown are contradictory. One item says "provide positive feedback on what is going on." The next item says "Be honest about what is going on even if it's bad news". Well? Be positively negative?
   
   I suppose the clearest reason for this book's success is the example that they give, that the most enjoyed feature in a FedEx newsletter is where they report on what other mailing companies are doing. By reading this book, you get "secret" news about what other companies are doing. That's always fun in a peering-through-the-keyhole sort of way. But they rarely tell HOW the information was received, just that it was being done. In cases where they say "the employees love it", that can often be the enthusiastic hopes of the PR department that performed the task. It could be that the employees thought the item was completely inane.
   
   It's not that the book was a complete waste of time. It's an enjoyable book to rent from the library, to skim through. It might spur an idea or two from you, out of the 1,001 presented. However, I really would have enjoyed a book that was much more organized, that had much more follow through about the cost involved and the aim of why they did it.

5 comments about Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders (J-B Leadership Network Series).

1. This is a great book, and a must read for those looking to better themselves in the areas of leadership and life.



2. Better than your average Christian leadership book. It's neither so business-minded as to make you wonder where God is in all this, nor is it so spiritual that it neglects practical application. It challenges you to examine yourself through the Word of God and develop healthy relationships - which are often lacking most in church circles.



3. This has become one of my all-time favorite books on the subject of leadership (and I've read books by some of the most well-know leadership experts).
   
   Usually I run into two problems with other leadership books. First, some of them are just boring to me. Sometimes I have felt like I'm reading through some dry, academic work. This is not too fun--it seems counterintuitive to try to sharpen your skills with a dull book. Secondly, some leadership books are too repetitive and vague. The information kind of runs together, with one chapter looking suspiciously like the previous chapter.
   
   McNeal's book is different. It was a joy to read, and each of the 7 disciplines made a lot of sense to me. Practicing Greatness is more about being a leader than "doing" leadership roles. This book further confirmed my decision to stay in my current ministry and continue to do something that I'm gifted for and passionate about.
   
   I hope you'll take time to read it.



4. This book is filled with great advice for the emerging leader. I bought a copy for all my staff, and we are reading the book together.



5. This book is easy to read and clearly exposes the guidelines to be great in Jesus. It shows me that there is a way to participate in expanding his kingdom through applying them to my pastoral context.
   
   Many thanks,
   
   Young-Do

5 comments about Who Moved My Cheese : An Amazing Way To Deal With Change In Your Work And In Your Life.

1. Who Moved My Cheese is a classic that uses a story without the burden of extra detail to force you to put your own life into the situation, and learn from it. It's true that this method isn't for everyone, but the book is popular for a reason: it helps people.
   
   Who Moved My Cheese has that special something that most fables lack. It makes you think. The only other fable I've seen accomplish this in the last decade is Squawk!: How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results.



2. The book opens: a group of high school graduates get together to discuss problems of changes in their lives, and one tells a story that helped his company. It is a children's story about two mice and two "little people" who live in a maze and have to adapt when the cheese in the maze gets moved to a new location. The mice look for new cheese immediately, but the little people over-analyze the situation ("his complicated brain with its huge belief system took hold") until one decides to leave to look for new cheese. His attitude starts to improve, he finds new cheese, and he writes notes on the maze wall for the little person who stays behind. These notes are called The Writing On The Wall and tell the person who stayed behind what he's learned. The book closes with the graduates discussing how the story relates to their own lives.
   
   This is a terrible little book that I am embarrassed to say was assigned reading in a college course. There are a constellation of belief systems that revolve around the relationship of valuelessness, lack of personal investment, spontaneity, and happiness. These include systems like Buddhism, Jean-Jacques-Rousseauianism, materialist nihilism... Who Moved My Cheese? falls in this constellation. The message of the book is that the only thing in life is following "the cheese," and you'll be happier if you don't get invested in wherever you're currently getting "the cheese," so you can immediately go to where "the cheese" is without looking back.
   
   Of course, we know of another tradition of change, represented by Lot's wife, the Exodus, the diaspora, etc. But that tradition tells us something very different about change, suggests differentiating important from unimportant, and that there are times it is necessary to resist instead of "embracing change."
   
   Nietzsche tells us that Judaism is a "slave religion," but the truth is that "the cheese" philosophy is the true slave religion. It's no mistake that this story takes place in a maze, and the heroes are mice. The message is that life is just a giant maze, we're all no different from mice, and the sooner you accept that, the happier you'll be. This is a book for people who don't believe in self-determination and are just cogs in a giant business machine.
   
   At the end of the book, one of the high school graduates says that his family-owned chain of mom and pop stores should have been sold off so that he could build a giant supermarket department store to compete with the new "mega-store" in town. He rejects the idea that there might have been something worth saving, not to mention the possibility of saving it through ingenuity. His conclusion is to just see which way the wind is blowing and follow along.
   
   Another of the high school graduates says that her son was a star swimming champion but that after the family moved for her husband's work, he learned to enjoy skiing instead and now lives happily in Colorado. But if you want to know what the "embracing change" and "enjoying new cheese" philosophy has done to families, you should read Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled--and More Miserable Than Ever Before.
   
   The phrase The Writing On The Wall comes from the story of King Belshazzar, who took sacred cups from the Temple in Jerusalem and used them to drink in honor of the gods of gold and silver. A ghostly hand appeared in front of him and wrote on the wall "mene, mene, tekel, parshin," meaning that Belshazzar's kingdom would come to an end. That night, Belshazzar was killed.
   
   The author, Spencer Johnson, seems to think that The Writing On The Wall means we should all just go along with whatever life brings, but there are really two other meanings to the story. First, would Belshazzar have been killed if his people had decided not to believe the writing on the wall? Second, there some things in life more important than gold, silver, or cheese. To this book I say "TEKEL: Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."



3. I was required to read this book for a college class. One of my classmates and I were skeptical of how this book could be of any help, since it is not the scientific literature we're used to reading. I was pleasantly surprised. The simplicity of the story allows the reader to easily apply the information to his/her-self and quickly realize some possible bad habits.
   
   I will surely be able to apply the lessons in this small book to my professional career as a personal trainer and co-owner of L.E.A.N. Wellness Center in Mesa, AZ. (www.getleanstaylean.com)



4. As a corporate director of human resources, it is a good day when I find a book that can actually be put to good use in our managerial training. This is one of those books. In fact, it is one of the rare books that weeks and months after using, I still find that managers refer to "cheese" when dealing with change management problems and solutions.
   
   While change certainly means different things to different people, the basic underlying theme is the same. The world as we know it will cease to exist and how will you respond.
   
   I find that the really good management books will usually use a story or parable in getting the point across. This is far superior to dry, straight away lecture. The stories make visual connections and these stick with adults. I highly recommend this book for anyone in management. Whether first line supervisor or CEO.
   
   Michael L. Gooch, SPHR, Author of Wingtips with Spurs



5. "Who moved My Cheese." This is a very interesting book which touch base on the basic human ways of dealing, reacting and processing life's changes.
   
   The book introduce to us simple character that act as a form reaction so to say. In life we will run into complication. In life we will encounter unexpected change if we don't already know that there are molds growing. In life we will allow fear to inhibit our senses of the need to let go of our comfort zone and venture.
   
   To venture out and seek something new, better can be very uncomfortable to somebody who feel as if everything is a okay or is working for them. We don't want to have to struggle to an unexpected zone because fear tells us maybe there is nothing out there better than what we already have.
   
   Fear becomes the dominate self criticizers.
   
   We have been program to go through steps in our lives. From not knowing as infant...the ability to crawl, walk then run; to going through a programmed chapter in our lives from elementary, high school, college, grad school and then getting the big job. What else should we do. Have we not found the "big cheese?" Yet it is perhaps this way of comformity is what traps us in the many form of unhappiness we face.
   
   We try to be content with our jobs, our relationship, our life but in doing so we have harness this comformity along with fear of decomforming. We want to look for "new cheese," becuase the "cheese" we have now is either molding or just not being the "cheese," we thought it would be.
   
   It is not the idea that if something is great we should disregard it and look for something better. It is the idea that we should open our minds and think outside of the box. Maybe the journey may be long, maybe we will only finds crumbs, and maybe we will find a whole new batch of cheese that is better tasting than the ones we have. The idea is our life does not just end at one station of cheese. Living is believing in yourself. Finding that letting go of your fear and learning that worries and trouble thoughts we have can confine us and stop us. The matter can easily be dealt with a simple laugh and a strong mindset that there are better things out there. Life does not end at one place.
   
   The book taught me the easiness of life. We should not hold too much value in any aspect of our life because life is unpredictable, things change. What we should do is be the best and the happiess in our moment of comfort but fear not for changes or sell ourself short by stopping. "Never give up" life is about happiness and where can we find happiness? It's not in finding "New cheese." It in the process of regaining ourselves in every aspect; from confidence to freedom.
   
   "Who Moved My Cheese?" Does that question really need to be asked? Maybe the cheese need to be moved.
   
   -TK

5 comments about High Five! The Magic of Working Together.

1. Team Work - Everyone knows the importance but yet more often than not, our own individuality gets in the way. How much more can be achieved if everyone behaves for the collective good of the group rather than for himself?
   
   In this charming story, we follow the journey of Alan Foster, a top producer at work but very much a solo player. Because of this, he loses his job. Soon, he gets a job of coaching his son's ice hockey team, which interestingly, is bottom of the league due to it's lousy teamwork. Through a series of practice sessions and with the help of a former girl's basketball coach, Alan sees the problem with the hockey team and in the process realises his previously same problematic behaviour at work. As with all fairy tales, the team undergoes a transformation after they finally manage to get their act together. As an icing on the cake, Alan somehow also gets invited back to his former company to give a speech on teamwork! Did he finally return to his former company to work? Read the book to find out but of course, do not forget about the main lesons on teamwork! As the saying goes, "None of us is as smart as all of us."
   
   Recommendation: Read this and start working on your team immediately! No point paying so much money to consultants. Get the soft cover version or try to borrow from the library if you are really low on budget. :)



2. While I have read other Ken Blanchard books, this one truly got my attention and was wonderful. As a student collegiate athelte myself, Blanchard and Bowle's book was easy reading and very easy for me to connect with based on my own experiences. The book allows one to follow a main character that starts off by being fired from his job, then gets involved coaching a young hockey team and calls on a coach he remembers from his school days to assist and turn the team around. With the assistance of this "coach" the main character begins to understand what it takes to make a successful team. He realizes the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and building team pride. This is a book that you can't put down, it can be read quickly and easily and I do feel everyone would be able to associate with parts of the book. Blanchard and Bowles do a great job at using the hockey team to teach the readers about team building yet simultaneously showing how these same principles can be applied to a work site. One is taken through the steps of team building and given examples time and time again on how these steps can be applied. There are very interesting twist throughout the book that keeps one's attention. I recommend this book to everyone.



3. Book written to be easily read by adults and students. Love the context and the teamwork tips that have been incorporated. Read with your coworkers, or with your class of students when wanting to build teamwork skills.



4. As with all Blanchard books, he works with the other authors and does a great job sharing simple effective solutions within the framework of a story. High Five is a foundational read for all our team building clients and I have ordered the book for our football coaching team as well. It was a nice recognition of the need to adapt the basic learning points of the PUCK acronym Providing Purpose and Values, Unleashing and Developing Skills, Creating Team Power and Keeping the Accent on the Positive to one fit for business, POWER - Purpose/Values, Empowerment, Relationships & Communications, Flexibility, Optimal Performance, Recognition and Appreciation and Morale. While none of this is new, there is always something to learned from the story. And like anything else, if anyone can execute on these fundamentals, great teams can be the result.



5. High Five is a quick read. It is a good book for mentoring a team of supervisors.

5 comments about The Hamster Revolution: How to Manage Your Email Before It Manages You (Bk Business).

1. The aim of this book is to reduce email volume, improve email quality, encourage sending email that is more actionable and organize folders using COTA (Clients, Output, Teams, Admin) approach. Although, some ideas of the book are arguable, the book makes you think once again about your way of emailing. Some readers may find COTA useful, but for me it is too complicated and counterproductive. You can do more in less time with a simpler scheme. I prefer the method advocated by David Allen in his book "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity": where the messages are divided by four categories: "next actions", "projects", "waiting for" and "someday/maybe".
   
   I also disagree with the authors' advice to use instant messaging (IM) in addition to email. The authors did not get the major point of e-mail: you write your emails in the most convenient time for you, and the recipient reads them in the most convenient time for her. What the authors do not understand is that you cannot disturb somebody by sending an email in an inappropriate time. For example, the authors wrote that an email may be "...unnecessary interruption in a workday already filled with interruptions. .... You are working on an important project that requires a lot of concentration.... your masterpiece... and ding, an email comes in". The authors do not understand that is not the arrival that made you interrupt, but the counterproductive configuration of the email software that notifies you about the incoming messages. If you will disable the notifications, an incoming email will never break off your concentration again. You will read all the incoming messages in a proper time. The authors also forget about spam - a potential source for interruptions. IM is also the big source of interruptions, and not as efficient as the telephone.
   
   "Turn off your email alarm" is advised by Julie Morgenstern, author of "Never Check E-Mail In the Morning", and by Gleb Arkhangelsky, author of "Time Drive". I highly recommend the two books above mentioned, as well as "Getting Things Done" by David Allen.



2. It is a quick read with some very good ideas for communicating clearly and effectively via email and how to minimize the amount of email that you send and receive. Excellent for groups and teams.



3. Excelent Book, using the strategies presented on it really helps to manage email. have succesfully reduced 30% of my email.



4. Wow. I didn't even know I was a hamster.
   
   The tips in this book are wonderful and I've had three of the people above me in the office heirarchy tell me how much they like my new email format. Not only are my emails getting attention, they're also getting better responses!
   
   If you're in the email quagmire, this is the book you must read!



5. The Hamster Revolution is a provocative and helpful book that takes on one of the great challenges of work and personal life: email.
   I have been trying to implement what I learned myself and also hope my organization will start this revolution among our workers.
   Considering how email dominates our lives these days, this is one self-help book that is really helpful!

5 comments about Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time.

1. Excellent book. One of my "a-ha!" moments was realizing that Jesus is a Level 5 Leader. In Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't, Jim Collins explains that companies making the leap from good to great had Level 5 leaders in key positions, including the CEO, at the time of transition. He describes a Level 5 leader as a paradox of someone having great personal humility and professional will, having more ambition for the company/team than for themselves, and someone having an unwaivering resolve to do whatever must be done no matter how difficult.
   
   A CEO describing herself as one with big ambition, ego, and drive asked Jim if you can learn to become a Level 5 Leader. He said that the data did not point to anything specific, so those aspiring to reach Level 5 should focus on the other discovered disciplines of becoming a good to great company.
   
   I find Lead Like Jesus answers the question. Among other things it is a wonderful manual for becoming a Level 5 Leader.



2. Great book that is easy to read and well organized. Deals with the fundementals such as motive and perspective, and is very effective.



3. Ken Blanchard's book, Lead Like Jesus, was like a good meal to me: a meat, two vegetables, satisfying but not noteworthy. Certainly there is nothing particularly harmful in the book (it is not like fast-food), but the "a-ha" moments were virtually non-existent for me. Now this is not necessarily a bad thing. In a world where much Christian literature is positively harmful for its lack of Scriptural faithfulness, a solid book like this that reminds us of core values is worth our attention.



4. The servant leader has always been the only approach that makes sense, and Ken Blanchard wrote many books about this before he got saved. Now, he understands the ultimate model for his philosophy - Jesus Christ - and has become an effective advocate for Jesus' modeling of servant leadership. I am going to teach from this book beginning in September 2008, and I believe my students will benefit immensely from the material here.



5. This book captures a proven leadership style that is timeless. Lead Like Jesus is appropriate for both the Church and the business place. We use it to develop servant leaders on our organization. I strongly recommend you add it to your leadership library.

5 comments about Putting the One Minute Manager to Work: How to Turn the 3 Secrets into Skills.

1. I read this book in an MBA course taught by one author. Both are "executive coaches", meaning they counsel well-paid CEO's. Nice shtick if you can burrow in. They cannot be mentors since neither has real work experience and they aren't real academics. Lorber spends less than 1 day/wk at UCD, mostly lending his Organization Behavior aura.
   
   The methods discussed are necessary, but hardly sufficient. A competent manager should walk the floor, pat people on the back, discuss short-term goals, and give regular performance reviews. However, managers must also be very competent, which usually requires rising through the ranks. They should do more than shuffle papers and put on a show, although that can work in large bureaucracies. Psychology tricks may work in the short time to get employees to shoulder more of the company's obligations and risks, but over the long-term employees wise up. Managers must provide proper incentives, both financial and for professional/career advancement, otherwise their best people walk.



2. This book is about so much more than management. I applied the principles to all areas of my life years ago and what a difference it made.
   
   I highly recommend this as a wonderful addition to your must read list. This book gave me easy ways to apply the concepts to my life.



3. This book keeps management principles in its simplist form. I have given these books to many managers over the years to help them understand and learn the basic principles of management. A great read!!!!



4. Concise, pragmatic advice on management practices: goal setting, praise, reprimands. This book serves as a great reminder that you don't have to have a PhD, or read every tome on leadership and management to be successful - more often than not, little changes can make a significant impact. An easy read, and one worth revisiting every once in a while.



5. The One Minute Manger was great but this title fell well short.
   I was disappointed and will not add this book to my required reading
   list for my direct reports.

5 comments about Managing for Dummies, Second Edition.

1. This is the first dummies book that actually made me feel like a dummy. They actually take the time to explain what a fax machine is! I'm sorry but anyone who does not know what a fax machine is does not have what it takes to be a manager, no matter how many books they read. The content that is there is great, but it is highly repetitive. Just when you think you understand how important it is to reward employees they bring it back towards the end of the book, several times. Ok, we get the point! I got bored reading this and started skimming it, just reading the bold phrases and/or the bullet points. I didn't miss anything. It's full of fluff. If you want a book to pass the time or make you fall asleep, this is a good book. But I just felt a little cheated. They take an intuitively obvious point like how delegation is useful and beat it to death. I also felt like I was watching a commercial for the authors' other books as they seem to mention them every few pages.
   
   Overall the subjects they covered were good. I wish they would cut the fluff and cover more topics. The book could easily be one half the size. I guess it depends on the reader. If you've never managed anyone before, even a 2 person team then this book may be for you. But if you've led others before I think you'll find you already know most of what's in this book. Skim it over at the bookstore and you'll see what I mean..



2. I'm fairly new to the business world and when the possibility of a promotion to supervisor arose, I knew I had to be ready. While I have a degree, it is not in business. I was looking for a book that would help me a)learn what issues I would have to deal with as a supervisor, b)help me prepare for the interview when they asked "what would you do in this situation" questions and c)teach me some ways to be successful (or at least not fail!).
   
   This book did all of the above. The authors skipped the boring theory of management and delved into real world issues that managers and supervisors face. I highly recommend this book.



3. I hold a BS in Business Management and thought I had been taught pretty much everything there was to know about business management... was I mistaken! This book should be required text for every business management student. Managing for Dummies is easy to read, easy to understand, and makes implimenting the methods defined in the book easy.



4. I was just promoted to Manager, and this book has been a very useful tool.
   It provides very easy to understand concepts and guides you on both basic and advanced managerial skills that you need to develop or improve in order to become a better manager.
   Almost every page that I read on it can be applied to my day to day activities as a manager.
   Managing for Dummies is a Manager's must have.



5. This book hits about every subject you need to know. I found it very informative and would recommend it to anyone starting out in management, or to anyone who would like to brush up on their management skills.

5 comments about Servant Leader.

1. I have been studying servant leadership recently and was excited to read what Kennth Blanchard, author of the "One Minute Manager" would have to say on the topic; especially from a Christian point of view.
   
   I was hoping to find a meaty, substantial book with examples and illustrations from his extensive experience in business and leadership. Instead, "Servant Leader" is merely a collection of quips, quotes, and a few Bible verses.
   
   It is so disappointing when good authors market these tidbit books. Blanchard must have some wonderful insights and knowledge but this particular book is one which offers more milk than meat. The pages are beautrifully illustrated and the color graphics are very professional - it looks great on the coffee table.
   
   However, if you are looking for a fuller treatment of Servant Leadership, I recommend the recent books by James Hunter: "The Servant" and "The World's Most Powerful Leadership Principle".



2. Finally a book that truly provides insight, skills, and wisdom on what it really means to be a leader here on earth. Everyone is a leader in some way and I highly recommend this book. Being a servant leader is true leadership.



3. In this slim volume of 125 pages, the authors manage to distill their thoughts about servant leadership and situational leadership.The format and presentation of the book is pleasant and allows room for reflection.
   
   "Another way to tell a self-serving leader from a servant leader is how they approach succession planning". p.18
   
   An interesting statement as it serves as a test to differentiate a self-serving leader from a servant leadership. The authors were correct to use this as most self-serving leaders will never let go as it is so closely linked to their ego.
   
   "The journey of life is to move from a self-serving heart to a serving heart. You finally become an adult when you realize that life is about what you give, rather than what you get." p.22
   
   An indirect reference to 1 Corinthians 13 where the apostle Paul writes about love. He wrote that as a child, we think like a child but when we are grown, we give up childish things.
   
   "What is your leadership EGO?
   EGO- Edging God Out or Exalting God Alone " p.26
   
   An interesting play on the word EGO.
   
   "How to start Exalting God Only:
   * Embrace an external perspective of the here and now in light of the then and there.
   * Seek to lead for a higher purpose-beyond success, beyond significance-to obedience and surrendered sacrifice.
   * Scrupulously assess my level of trust and surrender to what I believe about God, His Kingdom and His claim on my life and leadership." P.40
   
   "Follow The Twelve Steps to Faithwalk Leadership with others in accountability relationship over time.
   1. I admit that on more than one occasion I have allowed my ego needs and drive for earthly success to impact my role as a leader-and that my leadership has not been the servant leadership that Jesus modelled.
   2. I've come to believe that God can transform my leadership motives, thoughts, and actions to the servant leadership that Jesus modelled.
   3. I've made a decision to turn my leadership efforts to God and to become an apprentice of Jesus and the servant leadership He modelled.
   4. I've made a searching and fearless inventory of my leadership motives, thoughts, and behaviour that are inconstant with servant leadership.
   5. I've admitted to God, to myself, and to at least one other person the exact nature of my leadership gaps-when I behave in ways that do not make Jesus proud.
   6. I am entirely ready to have God remove all character defects that have created gaps in my leadership.
   7. I humbly ask God to remove my shortcomings and to strengthen me against the temptations of recognition, power, greed and fear.
   8. I've made a list of people whom I have harmed in by my ego-driven leadership, and I am willing to make amends to them all.
   9. I've made direct amends to such people whenever possible unless doing so would injure them or others.
   10. I continue to take personal inventory regarding my leadership role, and when I am wrong, I promptly admit it.
   11. By engaging in the disciplines of solitude, prayer, study of the Scriptures, and belief in God's unconditional love for me, I seek to align my servant leadership effort with what Jesus modelled, and to constantly seek ways to be a servant first and a leader second with the people I encounter in my leadership responsibilities.
   12. Have had a `heart attack' regarding the principles of servant leadership, I have tried to carry this message to other leaders and to practice them in all my affairs." P.40-14
   
   
   This 12-step program to become a servant leadership is a powerful use of the philosophy behind the AA's 12 step programs. It assumes that a leader has come to a point where he or she is willing to humble themselves and be a servant leader. Many of us accept intellectually that we are to be servant leaders and force ours to behave thus. That is a recipe for failure as our self-serving self will always win out. As will the AA's program, a leader must be broken before he or she can walk through the program.
   
   "The seven reactions people have to change- and the ways leaders can ease the transition.
   1. People will feel awkward, ill at ease and self-conscious when confronted by change- tell people what to expect.
   2. People will feel alone even if everyone else is going through the same change-structure activities that create involvement. Encourage individuals to share ideas and to work together to help each other through change.
   3. People will think that first about what the have to give up- don't try to sell the benefits of change effort initially. Let people mourn their perceived losses. Listen to them.
   4. People will think they can handle so much change at once-set priorities on which changes to make, and go for the long run.
   5. People will be concerned that they don't have enough resources (time, money, skill, etc) to implement to change-encourage creative problem solving.
   6. People will be at different levels of readiness for any particular change-Don't label or pick on people. Recognise that some people are risk-takers and others take longer to feel secure. Someone who's an early adopter of one type of change might balk at another type of change.
   7. If pressure is taken off, people will revert to old behaviours-keep people focussed on maintaining the change and managing the journey." P.66-67
   
   Some of the suggestions given are good. But somehow, it sounds like manipulation to me. Is there no better way for leaders to help their people change without manipulation? Missing here is to tell people why they have to change. Maybe it will be easier if people understand why they have to change. Then the leader will have their full cooperation.
   
   All in all, this is a good read, giving the reader an overview.For more details about situational leadership you will need to refer to their earlier books.



4. Sorry for the cliche on my Title line. But I really mean it!
   
   We've studied the leadership skills of Caeser, Napoleon, US Presidents, Kings, CEO's and Army Generals. Why did it take so long to get around to studying the leadership skills of Jesus?
   
   Hey, even if you're not a Christian, you can learn from Jesus.



5. This book was recommended by my church Youth Leader and so far it is very inspiring and informative. Everyone who is in a servant-type position at their church or plans to be in a missionary position should read it.